EARTHQUAKE: A powerful earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan during rush hour this morning, but the country’s meteorological agency said there was no danger of a tsunami and no serious injuries were reported.

The quake shook dozens of towns across north-eastern Japan and was even mildly felt in the capital, Tokyo. 

EU LOAN: The European Union has disbursed the first €3 billion (£2.5bn) tranche of a €90bn (£74bn) loan to Ukraine, the country’s prime minister announced today at the opening of a conference on Ukraine’s post-war recovery in Poland.

The conference was attended by key European leaders including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

STRICT CONDITIONS: The last Australian woman held in a Syrian camp for families of Islamic State group fighters has been given permission to return to Australia under strict conditions, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said today.

The woman and her nine-year-old daughter had planned to return to Australia in February with a group of Australian women and children held in the Roj camp, but were prevented from leaving by a temporary exclusion order.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: Zimbabwe’s Senate approved constitutional amendments on Wednesday that would remove direct presidential elections, delay the next one and extend the tenure of the country’s leader, whose signature is the final step for them to become law.

The Bill overhauls the way presidents are chosen, replacing direct popular elections with selection by lawmakers.

It also extends the terms of the president and members of parliament to seven years from five.